Letters to the Editor
Biff Barkley
Published Letters: 7 Editor's Choice: 1
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Maybe Not Iconic, But Hardly Just An "Attempt at funkiness"
[Read the article: Daily Download: "Fractal Zoom," Brian Eno]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In regards to the introduction to the download of the day, Thomas seems to be apologizing for the fact that this Eno track is all he can offer his readers, stating that the track, “is hardly his best work, but the song is intriguing nonetheless, an odd and trippy attempt at funkiness (not something that came naturally to Eno)”.
I hate to sound like an Eno apologist, the man doesn’t need one. Certainly this is not the kind of music Eno is most famous for: his ambient, barely there wallpaper music. He is widely attributed as having invented that genre.
But this album, one I listen to often, is equally groundbreaking, and is, to me, an extension of the one of the most groundbreaking albums of his career (not to mention in all of post modern rock music), “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts”, which he wrote and performed with David Byrne while producing a Talking Heads project.
“Nerve Net”, though not as dependant on found sounds for it’s rhythms and textures as “Ghosts”, has a similar use of loops and innovative use of distortion to create it’s own brand of tense electronic rock, and yes, funk, while still maintaining a wonderful sense of humor. I actually find some of it’s themes catchy, sticking in my head for days.
Is it funky, as in Sly Stone funky? Of course not. Does it make funk from collages of spoken word, found sound, treated instruments, etc? In spades. Is it as funky as the Talking Heads ever was? You bet.
Is it ahead of it’s time, setting up a couple generations of Electronica artists? Absolutely. A new artist I recently discovered, I Am Robot and Proud, is barely old enough to be alive when “Net” was first released in ’92. Robot’s latest release, “The Electricity in Your House Wants to Sing” is but one of the latest examples of artists owing a debt to “Nerve Net”, whether they know it or not.
Thomas, “Nerve Net” isn’t Eno’s "Mona Lisa". In this “techno” genre, that distinction would probably have to go to “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts”, a collaboration at that. And in the Ambient genre, “Music for Airports” or “Music for Films” would get that honor. But at the very least, you certainly could call “Nerve Net” his “Last Supper”, metaphorically speaking, of course!
Regards,
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And No One Is Mentioning This Action Is A Southeast Asian Sign Of Respect
[Read the article: Allen, Webb, truth, fiction]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I don't have time to look them up again, but yesterday, I saw several references to this, admittedly strange to our western eyes, behaviour is an old SE Asian way of showing respect.
Google it and it will come up.
And Webb had witnessed this display while a soldier in Viet Nam. Did Allen serve, BTW? Just asking, I don't know.
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We Aren't Out of the Woods Yet
[Read the article: What now?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Well, it looks like the Dems have control of both houses. Allen probably won't contest the results if they stay the same as they have been.
Liberals have cause to rejoice, but if we want to pull moderate conservatives to the middle and nestle with them, we need to approach them and their issues with respect, and an open ear, unlike the way we've been treated since Newt Gingrich was a pup, cheating on his dying wife. Looking back, I guess he really did set the tone for the NeoCons to follow, didn't he?
So, have a toast, but do not boast. Try not to rub this in anyone's face.
And I have this feeling of uneasiness. Be careful what you wish for. We have a very tough road ahead of us. Gas prices will probably soar post-election, the housing bubble hasn't begun to snap, and we have a MOUNTAIN of debt to deal with. And there's that Iraq thing: Just how the hell DO we get out gracefully without it turning into a giant crater full of innocent Muslim bodies and training camps for terrorists?
There's lots of fences to mend at home and abroad, and minefields to tiptoe through (both literal and metaphorical) if we don't want to become the bad guys.
Do we have the right people in the party to keep the new Bosses from becoming sybarites, drunk and dirty with power? Can we keep from falling victim of our OWN hubris?
One thing is for sure, we can't let up: we can't let up on exposing the extreme right for being the lying hypocrites they are; we can't let up on showing moderates we can be the better person in these debates; we can't let up leading rational thinking people on both sides of the fence to the realization that we CAN be a nation united again.
And if we have to unite against a common enemy, let's start with the enemy from within, because smarter people than I have said this is the only way America can be destroyed. And the enemy within almost HAS destroyed us.
But we aren't out of the woods yet.
Peace,
Rob